I was in a maritime seminar ten years back. The theme was ‘Ancient versus Modern Navigation’.
Admiral Awati, a seventy year old charming gentleman was the coordinator. It was apparent that the speakers had prepared well for the seminar. One of the topics which had just been presented was ‘Colour of the Sea’. It detailed how the ancient navigators ascertained their position from the colour of the sea.
Awati had a booming voice and a demeanour befitting a sailor. With flowing white beard he had an arresting presence on the dais.
He was relating his own experience how as a young lieutenant in the early sixties he was piloting a warship from Africa to Bombay. In those days navigating in the open sea could only be done with the help of astronomical sights.
For three days the sky was overcast. The stars, sun and the moon were all hidden. Ship was running on DR. Landfall was already overdue. There were lookouts high up on the crows nest and right ahead on the foxle. The navigator, Awati had not slept for 48 hours at a stretch.
When the Captain entered the Bridge the first question he asked young Awati was “Where are we?”
Awati stepped out to the bridge wings and searched the horizon with his binoculars for many minutes. He came in and buried his head into the radar hood. The precious radar was being intermittently switched on and off. The manual claimed 24 miles range but the radar had never picked up anything, including high cliffs, beyond 12 miles. Then he went behind the curtains on the chart table where he proceeded to roll the heavy brass parallel ruler across the chart spread out. When he couldn’t delay any longer he stepped out and announced
“We are 20 miles from Prong’s Reef light off Bombay.”
“How do you say that?” asked the Captain.
With low visibility, overcast skies and no radar echoes how could anyone be sure about his position?
“I can smell it” said Awati referring to the distinctly pungent odour which hangs in the air off Bombay. Thus adding smell as yet another aid to navigation.
With the advent of precise satellite navigation, which does not tolerate even a few meters error here and there all other forms of navigation has become obsolete.
Navigators of the old had to soak in their surroundings. Everything including colour of the sea, shape of the horizon, pattern of the stars, smell in the air went into consideration for ascertaining the position.
No one looks into the water nowadays. A pity. Because you miss out on all the life teeming inside there.
Pick up a glass of water from the sea. If you look into it carefully you will see minute creatures floating around. Planktons. I once saw a zoo-plankton in the form of a miniature shark clearly visible under a magnifying glass. From these minute life-forms the chain moves upward till you have giant squids and mammoth blue whales.
One of the joys in life is yachting where you can put your hands down and feel the sea water. Peek into the depths and you might see exotic tropical fish lazily swimming around.
Navigators of big ships miss out on these simple pleasures.
A pity!
Friday, September 7, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Passion for Hydrography
Were the people in the past more passionate about life in general? Whenever I read about the exploits of the discoverers & explorers of yesteryears I cannot but marvel at their tenacity. Their will to succeed against all odds.
One such Hydrographer was James Horsburgh of the erstwhile East India Company. Horsburgh started his life as a cabin boy in South England; perhaps shanghaied into this profession as so many were in those days. By 16 he was already a veteran sailor having sailed on several ships in the coal trade.
In 1780 he was captured by the French and incarcerated at Dunkirk. After several years he was released whereupon he immediately went back to sea – first to West Indies and thence to Calcutta.
In 1786 during one voyage his vessel was wrecked on a small island in the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia due to an error in the chart. The point at which his ship was wrecked is known to the world as – (what else?) the Horsburgh point.
This incident changed the course of his life. He took it upon himself to map and record the entire Indian subcontinent. In those days if one wanted to pursue a career in Hydrography or whatever, one had to pay for it himself. Horsburgh purchased surveying and drawing instruments from England out of his pocket. He thereafter taught himself drawing, etching and spherics.
Then for the next twenty two years of his sailing he meticulously maintained an East Indian directory which contained a running log and sketches. Imagine the privations that he must had gone through to pursue his passion for that long! Not knowing whether he will succumb to illness or mishaps at any time during this long period.
At the end of it when he gave this directory to the authorities for publication, neither the Admiralty nor the East India Company was prepared to publish it. So Horsburgh published it at his own expense!
It was only after the publication that he was acknowledged as an expert in this field. The decades of perseverance had paid off. He was thereafter appointed as a Hydrographer to the East India Company. A post which he held for 26 long years till his death. All the time enriching the field that he had chosen.
A life truly committed to a passion.
At the eastern entrance to the Malacca Straits there stands a tall lighthouse tower with black and white horizontal bands and a white flashing light. This structure is known as Horsburgh Lighthouse.
Like a sentinel it guards the mouth of the straits keeping a vigil for the last 150 years. A fitting tribute to a great hydrographer.
_______________________________________
Exchange of communication between MMTN (Master of Motor Tanker Nagesh) who wanted some clarifications and SELF (self). Names changed to protect identities.
From MMTN:
Dear Raj,
Request please clarify following while using cmap on simrad ecdis.
1. the alarm window on the display panel shows "datum is not WGS 84", even though when you see the chart legend the information on horizontal datum is WGS 84.
2. the display on all chart areas shows circled "U". On quality rating window of charts it says "zone of confidence U, data not assessed".
Please reply ASAP.
Best Regards
-----
From: SELF
Good Day,
Sorry for the late reply.
Reg 1. Datum is set on two places. The chart geodetic datum which is set by the chart maker and on which you have no control. Most electronic charts are prepared in WGS 84 datum but there are a few exceptions.
The other is the external device geodetic datum which is generally the GPS. Sometimes you need to change the GPS datum to match with that of the chart. By default GPS is set to WGS 84. I think this has been changed on your ECDIS by an operator. Please check this setting - the method of which should be explained in the Simrad manual.
On most Ecdis it is under the Datum and Units section.
Reg 2. Please ignore it. Except for some ENCs all charts will show Zone of Confidence as un-assessed. In your case you are viewing C-Map charts and not ENCs. On some Ecdis you can get rid of this symbol by viewing the charts in C-Map mode (rather than S52 mode). I think Simrad also allows such viewing.
Best Regards
-----
From MMTN:
Dear Raj,
Thanks for your advice. All ok now.
Captain
One such Hydrographer was James Horsburgh of the erstwhile East India Company. Horsburgh started his life as a cabin boy in South England; perhaps shanghaied into this profession as so many were in those days. By 16 he was already a veteran sailor having sailed on several ships in the coal trade.
In 1780 he was captured by the French and incarcerated at Dunkirk. After several years he was released whereupon he immediately went back to sea – first to West Indies and thence to Calcutta.
In 1786 during one voyage his vessel was wrecked on a small island in the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia due to an error in the chart. The point at which his ship was wrecked is known to the world as – (what else?) the Horsburgh point.
This incident changed the course of his life. He took it upon himself to map and record the entire Indian subcontinent. In those days if one wanted to pursue a career in Hydrography or whatever, one had to pay for it himself. Horsburgh purchased surveying and drawing instruments from England out of his pocket. He thereafter taught himself drawing, etching and spherics.
Then for the next twenty two years of his sailing he meticulously maintained an East Indian directory which contained a running log and sketches. Imagine the privations that he must had gone through to pursue his passion for that long! Not knowing whether he will succumb to illness or mishaps at any time during this long period.
At the end of it when he gave this directory to the authorities for publication, neither the Admiralty nor the East India Company was prepared to publish it. So Horsburgh published it at his own expense!
It was only after the publication that he was acknowledged as an expert in this field. The decades of perseverance had paid off. He was thereafter appointed as a Hydrographer to the East India Company. A post which he held for 26 long years till his death. All the time enriching the field that he had chosen.
A life truly committed to a passion.
At the eastern entrance to the Malacca Straits there stands a tall lighthouse tower with black and white horizontal bands and a white flashing light. This structure is known as Horsburgh Lighthouse.
Like a sentinel it guards the mouth of the straits keeping a vigil for the last 150 years. A fitting tribute to a great hydrographer.
_______________________________________
Exchange of communication between MMTN (Master of Motor Tanker Nagesh) who wanted some clarifications and SELF (self). Names changed to protect identities.
From MMTN:
Dear Raj,
Request please clarify following while using cmap on simrad ecdis.
1. the alarm window on the display panel shows "datum is not WGS 84", even though when you see the chart legend the information on horizontal datum is WGS 84.
2. the display on all chart areas shows circled "U". On quality rating window of charts it says "zone of confidence U, data not assessed".
Please reply ASAP.
Best Regards
-----
From: SELF
Good Day,
Sorry for the late reply.
Reg 1. Datum is set on two places. The chart geodetic datum which is set by the chart maker and on which you have no control. Most electronic charts are prepared in WGS 84 datum but there are a few exceptions.
The other is the external device geodetic datum which is generally the GPS. Sometimes you need to change the GPS datum to match with that of the chart. By default GPS is set to WGS 84. I think this has been changed on your ECDIS by an operator. Please check this setting - the method of which should be explained in the Simrad manual.
On most Ecdis it is under the Datum and Units section.
Reg 2. Please ignore it. Except for some ENCs all charts will show Zone of Confidence as un-assessed. In your case you are viewing C-Map charts and not ENCs. On some Ecdis you can get rid of this symbol by viewing the charts in C-Map mode (rather than S52 mode). I think Simrad also allows such viewing.
Best Regards
-----
From MMTN:
Dear Raj,
Thanks for your advice. All ok now.
Captain
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
How to Install an ECS by Oneself
I was standing outside Mangalore airport searching for the agent. The sky was ominously dark and seemed ready for another bout of lashing rains.
Extreme weather. It seemed as if the weather god was punishing planet earth for all her misdeeds.
I got through the agent’s number at last. Ship’s programme was cancelled. Now she was going to enter only after two days.
Nothing new. Rare is the ship which can keep her schedules.
“Is there any lady with you?”
I looked around and spotted her straightaway. An attractive lady looking extremely harried at that moment. Like me she was hunting for her receiver. Speaking on her mobile and trying to manage her damaged luggage which was threatening to come apart.
“I think I can see her”, I told the agent.
“She is the Chief Engineer’s wife and will board the same ship.”
For the next two days we were stranded in the hotel. The unexpected company helped to pass the time. As it generally happens, one tends to tell one’s secrets to a stranger in a foreign place. And so I was privy to her life story.
Hubby had spent all his time in the ship. He had broken his leg and had a steel rod inserted there. Twice he almost lost his life. But he soldiered on, otherwise, as a robust handsome man happy in his milieu.
During all these travails the wife looked after the home front. Mostly by herself as Dad was away all the time. She brought up her daughter who was now safely married and pursuing a career in medicine.
She was joining her husband to give him company in an otherwise lonely profession.
Her own career was on the back burner. She wanted to open a business in medical astrology. But was finding it a tad difficult to get it off the ground. Youth was no longer her forte. Sometime in the past she had slipped from the pilot ladder whilst disembarking the ship in a choppy sea. As a result she had a bad back.
No promotions or medals. Not that she expected any.
Indian wives! There aren’t many who can beat them.
Meanwhile everyone is asking for ECDIS/ECS. For Vetting Inspections, by OCIMF, by Port State Controllers. Even some Masters are insisting for it because of associated spin-offs.
New ships mostly come equipped with ECDIS. It’s the old ones which cause problems, where ECS has to be retro-fitted.
Is it possible for the ship staff to install an ECS all by themselves on old ships? Where you don’t want to wait till the next lay-up?
Yes!
I am aware of at least two ships in India who have installed the ECS by themselves. One ship had some teething problems the other had none. Now for the past several months their ECSs have been running without a problem.
I have prepared a sort of ‘Do It Yourself’ guide for installing a typical PC based ECS. This will have all the features of an ECDIS and certainly more than the minimum laid down in ECDIS Performance Standards.
Basically there are three things that you need to look into:
- Hardware consisting of PC and multiplexers
- ECS Software and
- Charts
Computer and OS Requirements
ECS installation manual give you the minimum specs but it is wiser to choose a little higher for better results.
A standard PC with Windows XP and 512 MB RAM should do. Ensure you have a DVD ROM because charts are now increasingly being supplied on DVDs.
It should have at least 6 USB ports for the protection devices, multiplexers and computer peripherals.
A 17” TFT monitor is sufficiently big and comfortable for viewing the charts.
Disk space is not an issue as the entire program with vector charts take less than 2GB size.
It’s better to have a dedicated computer for the ECS for error-free operations.
Internet is desirable for online correction of charts. But if you want to avoid the associated virus risk have another computer for downloading updates and transferring it to the ECS on pen drives.
Interfacing With Bridge Equipment
Most people stumble on this.
An ECS has to be connected to the GPS for it to have basic functions.
In addition it is strongly recommended to have AIS and ARPA connections but if you cannot have one or both then don’t despair. Your ECS will still give you value for money. These can be connected up later by shore technicians.
Interfacing with Echo Sounder is good especially for getting anti grounding alarms. Frankly, I belong to the old school of navigators and don’t lay too much importance to such methods of watch keeping.
Interfacing with Gyro and Log is optional. If you can do it without breaking a sweat then go ahead.
To connect up with the bridge equipment you will need marine data interfaces (MDI). An MDI helps to connect up multiple NMEA 0183 instruments to an ECS. All present generation equipment come with the industry standard NMEA 0183 outputs. It is the older instruments such as Speed Logs, ARPA and depth sounder which cause problems and may not have NMEA outputs.
Fortunately GPS & AIS which matter the most are the simplest to interface.
AIS requires 38,400 baud rate. All other equipment need 4800 baud rate. Generally MDIs have a special slot configured for AIS.
There are many MDIs available in the market. I have found Shipmodul (www.shipmodul.com) to be reliable and reasonably priced.
Cabling
Use a 6 core shielded cable gauge 7/38 for data transmission. They are readily available in the market for Rs 40 to Rs 60 per metre. Buy sufficient cable to lay them out through the paneling. They should be neatly bunched, marked and laid out. This helps in easier trouble-shooting in the future.
Choosing the Monitor site
This should be done very carefully. The chart table is not the right place unless you have dual monitors. A suitable place would be to have the monitor on one side away from the center so that it does not obstruct keeping a lookout outside the bridge windows. At the same time it is possible to check the scenario on the screen with a quick sideways glance.
When working on the ECS you should be still in control of the bridge and have not dragged yourself away from the position of looking out.
At night use the dusk viewing option so that night vision is not impaired. If you can install shades on the monitor and have an adjustable screen to swivel it to the desired viewing angle it would help tremendously.
Installing the ECS software
This is similar to installing video games. Most ECSs manual have a step by step guide to help you install the software. Remember you will need the admin rights on the computer to install the program. Many a time it happens that the old crew has not handed over the old passwords to the new crew. It creates a problem when the ECS software needs to be re-installed in the system.
Charts
You have the option to install Raster or Vector charts. In this age it doesn’t make sense to go for Raster charts. The other question is whether it is worth to pay for the expensive ENCs. There are many areas especially at minor ports and harbours where the details are only available on ENCs. Here it makes sense to buy the ENCs.
For worldwide coverage of vector charts I have no hesitation to say that C-Map is the best.
Capt. Raj S Chakravorty
Extreme weather. It seemed as if the weather god was punishing planet earth for all her misdeeds.
I got through the agent’s number at last. Ship’s programme was cancelled. Now she was going to enter only after two days.
Nothing new. Rare is the ship which can keep her schedules.
“Is there any lady with you?”
I looked around and spotted her straightaway. An attractive lady looking extremely harried at that moment. Like me she was hunting for her receiver. Speaking on her mobile and trying to manage her damaged luggage which was threatening to come apart.
“I think I can see her”, I told the agent.
“She is the Chief Engineer’s wife and will board the same ship.”
For the next two days we were stranded in the hotel. The unexpected company helped to pass the time. As it generally happens, one tends to tell one’s secrets to a stranger in a foreign place. And so I was privy to her life story.
Hubby had spent all his time in the ship. He had broken his leg and had a steel rod inserted there. Twice he almost lost his life. But he soldiered on, otherwise, as a robust handsome man happy in his milieu.
During all these travails the wife looked after the home front. Mostly by herself as Dad was away all the time. She brought up her daughter who was now safely married and pursuing a career in medicine.
She was joining her husband to give him company in an otherwise lonely profession.
Her own career was on the back burner. She wanted to open a business in medical astrology. But was finding it a tad difficult to get it off the ground. Youth was no longer her forte. Sometime in the past she had slipped from the pilot ladder whilst disembarking the ship in a choppy sea. As a result she had a bad back.
No promotions or medals. Not that she expected any.
Indian wives! There aren’t many who can beat them.
Meanwhile everyone is asking for ECDIS/ECS. For Vetting Inspections, by OCIMF, by Port State Controllers. Even some Masters are insisting for it because of associated spin-offs.
New ships mostly come equipped with ECDIS. It’s the old ones which cause problems, where ECS has to be retro-fitted.
Is it possible for the ship staff to install an ECS all by themselves on old ships? Where you don’t want to wait till the next lay-up?
Yes!
I am aware of at least two ships in India who have installed the ECS by themselves. One ship had some teething problems the other had none. Now for the past several months their ECSs have been running without a problem.
I have prepared a sort of ‘Do It Yourself’ guide for installing a typical PC based ECS. This will have all the features of an ECDIS and certainly more than the minimum laid down in ECDIS Performance Standards.
Basically there are three things that you need to look into:
- Hardware consisting of PC and multiplexers
- ECS Software and
- Charts
Computer and OS Requirements
ECS installation manual give you the minimum specs but it is wiser to choose a little higher for better results.
A standard PC with Windows XP and 512 MB RAM should do. Ensure you have a DVD ROM because charts are now increasingly being supplied on DVDs.
It should have at least 6 USB ports for the protection devices, multiplexers and computer peripherals.
A 17” TFT monitor is sufficiently big and comfortable for viewing the charts.
Disk space is not an issue as the entire program with vector charts take less than 2GB size.
It’s better to have a dedicated computer for the ECS for error-free operations.
Internet is desirable for online correction of charts. But if you want to avoid the associated virus risk have another computer for downloading updates and transferring it to the ECS on pen drives.
Interfacing With Bridge Equipment
Most people stumble on this.
An ECS has to be connected to the GPS for it to have basic functions.
In addition it is strongly recommended to have AIS and ARPA connections but if you cannot have one or both then don’t despair. Your ECS will still give you value for money. These can be connected up later by shore technicians.
Interfacing with Echo Sounder is good especially for getting anti grounding alarms. Frankly, I belong to the old school of navigators and don’t lay too much importance to such methods of watch keeping.
Interfacing with Gyro and Log is optional. If you can do it without breaking a sweat then go ahead.
To connect up with the bridge equipment you will need marine data interfaces (MDI). An MDI helps to connect up multiple NMEA 0183 instruments to an ECS. All present generation equipment come with the industry standard NMEA 0183 outputs. It is the older instruments such as Speed Logs, ARPA and depth sounder which cause problems and may not have NMEA outputs.
Fortunately GPS & AIS which matter the most are the simplest to interface.
AIS requires 38,400 baud rate. All other equipment need 4800 baud rate. Generally MDIs have a special slot configured for AIS.
There are many MDIs available in the market. I have found Shipmodul (www.shipmodul.com) to be reliable and reasonably priced.
Cabling
Use a 6 core shielded cable gauge 7/38 for data transmission. They are readily available in the market for Rs 40 to Rs 60 per metre. Buy sufficient cable to lay them out through the paneling. They should be neatly bunched, marked and laid out. This helps in easier trouble-shooting in the future.
Choosing the Monitor site
This should be done very carefully. The chart table is not the right place unless you have dual monitors. A suitable place would be to have the monitor on one side away from the center so that it does not obstruct keeping a lookout outside the bridge windows. At the same time it is possible to check the scenario on the screen with a quick sideways glance.
When working on the ECS you should be still in control of the bridge and have not dragged yourself away from the position of looking out.
At night use the dusk viewing option so that night vision is not impaired. If you can install shades on the monitor and have an adjustable screen to swivel it to the desired viewing angle it would help tremendously.
Installing the ECS software
This is similar to installing video games. Most ECSs manual have a step by step guide to help you install the software. Remember you will need the admin rights on the computer to install the program. Many a time it happens that the old crew has not handed over the old passwords to the new crew. It creates a problem when the ECS software needs to be re-installed in the system.
Charts
You have the option to install Raster or Vector charts. In this age it doesn’t make sense to go for Raster charts. The other question is whether it is worth to pay for the expensive ENCs. There are many areas especially at minor ports and harbours where the details are only available on ENCs. Here it makes sense to buy the ENCs.
For worldwide coverage of vector charts I have no hesitation to say that C-Map is the best.
Capt. Raj S Chakravorty
Friday, June 1, 2007
Lossless Transformation
The crew of a merchant ship is like a small fighting unit. Every voyage they undertake is like a campaign. The Master is the commander who has to win the battle regardless. No wonder these people hardly ever interact with the rest of the shipping industry because they are too engrossed in their own battles.
I have noticed that it is very difficult to engage the sailing staff to take part in conferences. Most such events are dominated by the OEMs, educators and the authorities.
So whatever little feedback we get from the operational seafarers is bonus and should be brought to the notice of all those who matter.
The other day I read this honest feedback from a sailing Master –
I believe that as electronic charts get more popular, their costs will automatically drop (the GPS way - down from 2000$ to 50 $!)It is left to us Masters to convey this (let us use our marketting skills, gentlemen!) to owners / reps - during their visits on board, to supers, and of course in the ultimate ISM tool - Masters review!As far as costs go, an ECS (non compliant with solas, but equal features as ecdis) is a commercially viable option - about 1.5-2 lakh installation per vessel. An ecdis will set you back aout 10 times this cost, ut is a good investment future wise.EU will be making it mandatory for larger tankers by 2010 to carry ecdis, Norway has already done this for it's fast ferries.
This feedback appeared in an ecdis forum. Those who are interested may visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecdis/. It is a forum for sharing your experience in Ecdis with others.
Lossless Transformation
What do they mean by lossless transformation of the ENC?
I was taking an Ecdis class when someone asked this question referring to the changed definition of System ENC in the new Ecdis Performance Standards.
In the old definition, SENC meant the conversion of the S-57 (ASCII) ENC into a binary form which is basically the internal format of a computer. To this were added external data like ARPA, AIS and user info before the complete database was displayed on the screen.
It was assumed that the conversion of ENC to SENC would be carried out within the Ecdis kernel. In actual practice there are two major problems encountered in this method.
Firstly most ENCs are not error-free. They originate from different countries and subject to different standards of quality. So when onboard the ship the navigator carries out the conversion operation he gets frequent errors on his system. At this stage what is the point of getting such errors when there is nothing much he can do.
Secondly it is an extremely lengthy procedure to carry out this operation on board. The whole process could take as much as ten hours before the charts are ready to be run on the Ecdis.
There is no argument that the ASCII format of ENC has to be converted into a binary form for it to be recognized by the computer. The question was how to overcome the above problems.
In the late nineties C-Map proposed that the data conversion could be carried out outside the Ecdis. The charts could be tested in lab conditions. The customer is then given this error-free ENC data, in binary form, to be directly run on the Ecdis.
Initially this method of distributing ENC was mooted in 1998 at an IHO meeting at Singapore. However, some HOs objected to it. Later in 2002 at Valparaiso this issue was once again debated. This time Tor Svanes of C-Map Norway and Chris Anderson of National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), USA were able to convince the majority to adopt the SENC method of distributing ENCs.
In 2002, the IHO CHRIS committee passed the resolution TR 3.114 approving the distribution of ENC in SENC format as follows:
It is resolved that SENC distribution can be accepted as an option, in addition to direct ENC distribution, providing that the following principles be adhered to:
- The HO should ensure that the ENC is always available to any user in the S-57 ENC format.
- As an option HOs may allow the distribution of their data in a SENC format.
- Service providers who are to supply the SENC service must operate under the regulations of the issuing authority. The onshore ENC to SENC conversion must be performed using type-approved software.
- The SENC update mechanism should not be inferior to the ENC-ECDIS update mechanism.
- The distributor of SENC data should maintain a registry of its users.
- The copyright of the ENC data should be maintained.
In December 2006 the new Ecdis PS was brought out wherein the SENC was redefined as the manufacturer’s internal Ecdis format, resulting from the lossless transformation of the ENC. The phrase lossless transformation was added basically to ensure that when the conversion took place outside the Ecdis the data was not downgraded in accuracy or contents.
It took more than five years for the SENC method of distribution to be accepted. And another five before the definition changed in the PS.
Who says there is no bureaucracy in Electronic Charts?
I have noticed that it is very difficult to engage the sailing staff to take part in conferences. Most such events are dominated by the OEMs, educators and the authorities.
So whatever little feedback we get from the operational seafarers is bonus and should be brought to the notice of all those who matter.
The other day I read this honest feedback from a sailing Master –
I believe that as electronic charts get more popular, their costs will automatically drop (the GPS way - down from 2000$ to 50 $!)It is left to us Masters to convey this (let us use our marketting skills, gentlemen!) to owners / reps - during their visits on board, to supers, and of course in the ultimate ISM tool - Masters review!As far as costs go, an ECS (non compliant with solas, but equal features as ecdis) is a commercially viable option - about 1.5-2 lakh installation per vessel. An ecdis will set you back aout 10 times this cost, ut is a good investment future wise.EU will be making it mandatory for larger tankers by 2010 to carry ecdis, Norway has already done this for it's fast ferries.
This feedback appeared in an ecdis forum. Those who are interested may visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecdis/. It is a forum for sharing your experience in Ecdis with others.
Lossless Transformation
What do they mean by lossless transformation of the ENC?
I was taking an Ecdis class when someone asked this question referring to the changed definition of System ENC in the new Ecdis Performance Standards.
In the old definition, SENC meant the conversion of the S-57 (ASCII) ENC into a binary form which is basically the internal format of a computer. To this were added external data like ARPA, AIS and user info before the complete database was displayed on the screen.
It was assumed that the conversion of ENC to SENC would be carried out within the Ecdis kernel. In actual practice there are two major problems encountered in this method.
Firstly most ENCs are not error-free. They originate from different countries and subject to different standards of quality. So when onboard the ship the navigator carries out the conversion operation he gets frequent errors on his system. At this stage what is the point of getting such errors when there is nothing much he can do.
Secondly it is an extremely lengthy procedure to carry out this operation on board. The whole process could take as much as ten hours before the charts are ready to be run on the Ecdis.
There is no argument that the ASCII format of ENC has to be converted into a binary form for it to be recognized by the computer. The question was how to overcome the above problems.
In the late nineties C-Map proposed that the data conversion could be carried out outside the Ecdis. The charts could be tested in lab conditions. The customer is then given this error-free ENC data, in binary form, to be directly run on the Ecdis.
Initially this method of distributing ENC was mooted in 1998 at an IHO meeting at Singapore. However, some HOs objected to it. Later in 2002 at Valparaiso this issue was once again debated. This time Tor Svanes of C-Map Norway and Chris Anderson of National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), USA were able to convince the majority to adopt the SENC method of distributing ENCs.
In 2002, the IHO CHRIS committee passed the resolution TR 3.114 approving the distribution of ENC in SENC format as follows:
It is resolved that SENC distribution can be accepted as an option, in addition to direct ENC distribution, providing that the following principles be adhered to:
- The HO should ensure that the ENC is always available to any user in the S-57 ENC format.
- As an option HOs may allow the distribution of their data in a SENC format.
- Service providers who are to supply the SENC service must operate under the regulations of the issuing authority. The onshore ENC to SENC conversion must be performed using type-approved software.
- The SENC update mechanism should not be inferior to the ENC-ECDIS update mechanism.
- The distributor of SENC data should maintain a registry of its users.
- The copyright of the ENC data should be maintained.
In December 2006 the new Ecdis PS was brought out wherein the SENC was redefined as the manufacturer’s internal Ecdis format, resulting from the lossless transformation of the ENC. The phrase lossless transformation was added basically to ensure that when the conversion took place outside the Ecdis the data was not downgraded in accuracy or contents.
It took more than five years for the SENC method of distribution to be accepted. And another five before the definition changed in the PS.
Who says there is no bureaucracy in Electronic Charts?
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Future ENCs
Future ENCs
I was coming back to Bangalore after a fairly long time.
I had reached quite early in the morning which gave me ample time to keep my appointment. But not enough time for sight-seeing. I wished I had the energy to roam around for a few hours in the city under the summer sun. Instead I waited in the airport lounge itself. I took this opportunity to strike up conversations with other passengers to glean some local knowledge.
Whilst waiting in the long queue for the pre-paid Auto I started talking to a young fellow beside me. He turned out to be a friendly guy from the IT sector. I learnt he was an M-Tech in software engineering and hailed from Bhatkal.
‘I have been to Bhatkal. A sleepy little village north of Malabar coast. There is an islet there called Pigeon Island, and a fishing harbour close-by.’
That guy was surprised that I knew the place.
I was there about 15 years back during the course of a hydrographic survey. Bhatkal could qualify as one of those parts of Incredible India. Beautiful, sun-kissed and un-spoilt; having a wonderfully temperate climate. I remembered it as a picturesque village on the sea-shore. I was glad to know that IT had penetrated deep into these villages.
The Auto-ride was surprisingly comfortable and not as bad as it would had been in Andheri. The peak-hour traffic hadn’t yet built up. A distance of 12 kms in the heart of the city was covered in 40 minutes.
Peeping out from the Auto I watched the early morning crowd. Schoolchildren seemed to be happy looking forward to the day. A middle-aged man was crossing the road at a traffic signal. He was in a hurry weaving around the standing vehicles before the lights changed. He had a lap-top in his hand, without its carrying case. As if he didn’t bother to pack it up nicely before leaving for the office.
I don’t think I had seen so many lap-tops anywhere else in the world as I saw in Bangalore that day. In the airport, at restaurants and other public places. Instead of thinking of renaming it as Bengalooru perhaps the state politicians should call this place laptop-nagar. It would be original and apt.
I was in Bangalore to attend the marriage of Shwetha. I used to know Shwetha as a quiet little child. That day she was looking radiant and enchanting.
At the marriage Bhavan I met some old friends and fellow seafarers.
People asked me about the world of electronic charts.
They all agree that ECDIS has been a good thing for the shipping industry.
Watching your ship progressing on the Electronic Chart on the Bridge is a dream-come-true for the Master. The screen gives him an informed picture of the situation outside. Dangers to navigation from proximal targets can be correctly assessed without too much of an effort.
What else would a Master want from the ECDIS?
As he looks out of the Bridge windows he can see the waters around. But he is unable to see underneath the water. Is it possible for him to somehow penetrate the water, as if with a powerful x-ray vision and see the seabed underneath?
What if he could visualize the column of water on top of the seabed corrected for the tides at that point of time?
Suppose if the Master could see the hull of his ship immersed in the water at its current draft. The ship’s draft continuously being corrected for the height of the waves and the vessel’s squat and heel. If he could only see the under-keel clearance and measure the changes when the vessel varied her speed and/or applied the rudder.
The three-dimensional graphics using rotation matrix technology already exists in the video-games that the kids play. Can we use this technology to view the oceans and our ship moving on it? When can the navigators get such charts?
Most navigators are aware of the projection errors of a chart. Simply put, it is the distortion that occurs when a marine cartographer transfers a part of the spherical earth on a flat sheet of paper. But how many know about the sounding selection algorithm which skews a sea-bed to be artificially raised on a chart. The important thing to know is that all these errors on paper charts have being carried forward to the electronic charts which are being depicted on the video screens today. Including the algorithm for selecting soundings.
When selecting soundings to be put on a chart, the cartographer is handicapped by the limitation of available space. Too many soundings clutter the chart, especially on small-scale charts. So he follows a rule for picking up depths from a fair sheet:
- As far as possible, all shoals are picked up.
- Space permitting, the deeps between the shoals are picked up.
Many times, especially when the seabed is uneven, space does not permit all deeps to shown. This means that the shoals which appear on the chart will artificially raise the seabed. This is deliberately done so as to err on the safe side, but the fact remains that the seabed is not correctly shown on the chart. It also means that the chart is not suitable for applications which require the undulations of a sea-bed to be accurately shown. Anchoring is one such example, trawling is another.
The soundings that appear on the chart are a few selected depths out of the thousands which appear on the fair sheet. There are many more which remain forever inside the echo-roll. The chart drawn on a flat sheet of paper or flat screen does not show all this information.
Modern surveys today are carried out with multibeam sounders connected to data-logging systems. These instruments collect many times more information than single-beam echo sounders with manual read out. And yet the way we prepare our charts have not changed.
The fact is that the chart that you see today, even if it is an ENC, contains only a small fraction of the data that was actually collected in the field. The vast majority of the data lies unused in the Hydrographic Offices and repositories all over the world.
A lot of research is going on in C-MAP to improve the appearance of the charts. A research is going on for example in the integration of land and sea maps. This has always been a problem earlier because the datum for land and sea data are not same. Soon we will have 3D land sat maps integrated with the sea maps.
C-MAP OceanView software permit the vector charts to be viewed as a 3D picture. We have to remember that presently this 3D model is based on scanty data. Only on large scales charts where there are sufficient depths this feature can be safely used.
At IHO there is a committee working on the upgradation of ENCs from S57 to S100. The electronic charts prepared in accordance with the S100 standards promises to be of the state of art technology. It proposes to overcome the limitations of S57 ENCs. They expect this version of chart to be available only after 2012.
To protect the customers, it is planned to be upwardly compatible from S57.
It is going to be a long time before these charts becomes a reality. But when these future electronic charts become available to the Master, his dream would be realized. He will be able to use the underwater information in the chart in a way he wants.
Off course, the chart developers still have to cope up with the logistics of exchanging the vast amount of data in a practical manner.
Perhaps if commercial charting organizations are included by IHO in the programs for developing future ENCs there could be a faster development.
These future ENCs would then become a tool not only for the navigator but for many others who work out there in the sea. The fishermen, oil explorers, submarine cable layers and many others. In fact it could give a fillip to the nascent ocean-related industries.
Capt. Raj S Chakravorty
I was coming back to Bangalore after a fairly long time.
I had reached quite early in the morning which gave me ample time to keep my appointment. But not enough time for sight-seeing. I wished I had the energy to roam around for a few hours in the city under the summer sun. Instead I waited in the airport lounge itself. I took this opportunity to strike up conversations with other passengers to glean some local knowledge.
Whilst waiting in the long queue for the pre-paid Auto I started talking to a young fellow beside me. He turned out to be a friendly guy from the IT sector. I learnt he was an M-Tech in software engineering and hailed from Bhatkal.
‘I have been to Bhatkal. A sleepy little village north of Malabar coast. There is an islet there called Pigeon Island, and a fishing harbour close-by.’
That guy was surprised that I knew the place.
I was there about 15 years back during the course of a hydrographic survey. Bhatkal could qualify as one of those parts of Incredible India. Beautiful, sun-kissed and un-spoilt; having a wonderfully temperate climate. I remembered it as a picturesque village on the sea-shore. I was glad to know that IT had penetrated deep into these villages.
The Auto-ride was surprisingly comfortable and not as bad as it would had been in Andheri. The peak-hour traffic hadn’t yet built up. A distance of 12 kms in the heart of the city was covered in 40 minutes.
Peeping out from the Auto I watched the early morning crowd. Schoolchildren seemed to be happy looking forward to the day. A middle-aged man was crossing the road at a traffic signal. He was in a hurry weaving around the standing vehicles before the lights changed. He had a lap-top in his hand, without its carrying case. As if he didn’t bother to pack it up nicely before leaving for the office.
I don’t think I had seen so many lap-tops anywhere else in the world as I saw in Bangalore that day. In the airport, at restaurants and other public places. Instead of thinking of renaming it as Bengalooru perhaps the state politicians should call this place laptop-nagar. It would be original and apt.
I was in Bangalore to attend the marriage of Shwetha. I used to know Shwetha as a quiet little child. That day she was looking radiant and enchanting.
At the marriage Bhavan I met some old friends and fellow seafarers.
People asked me about the world of electronic charts.
They all agree that ECDIS has been a good thing for the shipping industry.
Watching your ship progressing on the Electronic Chart on the Bridge is a dream-come-true for the Master. The screen gives him an informed picture of the situation outside. Dangers to navigation from proximal targets can be correctly assessed without too much of an effort.
What else would a Master want from the ECDIS?
As he looks out of the Bridge windows he can see the waters around. But he is unable to see underneath the water. Is it possible for him to somehow penetrate the water, as if with a powerful x-ray vision and see the seabed underneath?
What if he could visualize the column of water on top of the seabed corrected for the tides at that point of time?
Suppose if the Master could see the hull of his ship immersed in the water at its current draft. The ship’s draft continuously being corrected for the height of the waves and the vessel’s squat and heel. If he could only see the under-keel clearance and measure the changes when the vessel varied her speed and/or applied the rudder.
The three-dimensional graphics using rotation matrix technology already exists in the video-games that the kids play. Can we use this technology to view the oceans and our ship moving on it? When can the navigators get such charts?
Most navigators are aware of the projection errors of a chart. Simply put, it is the distortion that occurs when a marine cartographer transfers a part of the spherical earth on a flat sheet of paper. But how many know about the sounding selection algorithm which skews a sea-bed to be artificially raised on a chart. The important thing to know is that all these errors on paper charts have being carried forward to the electronic charts which are being depicted on the video screens today. Including the algorithm for selecting soundings.
When selecting soundings to be put on a chart, the cartographer is handicapped by the limitation of available space. Too many soundings clutter the chart, especially on small-scale charts. So he follows a rule for picking up depths from a fair sheet:
- As far as possible, all shoals are picked up.
- Space permitting, the deeps between the shoals are picked up.
Many times, especially when the seabed is uneven, space does not permit all deeps to shown. This means that the shoals which appear on the chart will artificially raise the seabed. This is deliberately done so as to err on the safe side, but the fact remains that the seabed is not correctly shown on the chart. It also means that the chart is not suitable for applications which require the undulations of a sea-bed to be accurately shown. Anchoring is one such example, trawling is another.
The soundings that appear on the chart are a few selected depths out of the thousands which appear on the fair sheet. There are many more which remain forever inside the echo-roll. The chart drawn on a flat sheet of paper or flat screen does not show all this information.
Modern surveys today are carried out with multibeam sounders connected to data-logging systems. These instruments collect many times more information than single-beam echo sounders with manual read out. And yet the way we prepare our charts have not changed.
The fact is that the chart that you see today, even if it is an ENC, contains only a small fraction of the data that was actually collected in the field. The vast majority of the data lies unused in the Hydrographic Offices and repositories all over the world.
A lot of research is going on in C-MAP to improve the appearance of the charts. A research is going on for example in the integration of land and sea maps. This has always been a problem earlier because the datum for land and sea data are not same. Soon we will have 3D land sat maps integrated with the sea maps.
C-MAP OceanView software permit the vector charts to be viewed as a 3D picture. We have to remember that presently this 3D model is based on scanty data. Only on large scales charts where there are sufficient depths this feature can be safely used.
At IHO there is a committee working on the upgradation of ENCs from S57 to S100. The electronic charts prepared in accordance with the S100 standards promises to be of the state of art technology. It proposes to overcome the limitations of S57 ENCs. They expect this version of chart to be available only after 2012.
To protect the customers, it is planned to be upwardly compatible from S57.
It is going to be a long time before these charts becomes a reality. But when these future electronic charts become available to the Master, his dream would be realized. He will be able to use the underwater information in the chart in a way he wants.
Off course, the chart developers still have to cope up with the logistics of exchanging the vast amount of data in a practical manner.
Perhaps if commercial charting organizations are included by IHO in the programs for developing future ENCs there could be a faster development.
These future ENCs would then become a tool not only for the navigator but for many others who work out there in the sea. The fishermen, oil explorers, submarine cable layers and many others. In fact it could give a fillip to the nascent ocean-related industries.
Capt. Raj S Chakravorty
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Opportunities on Offshore Vessels
Last week an Indian Shipping company offered 12000 USD to an Indian Master.
That too for a vessel operating in Indian waters where you don’t need a foreign-going certificate, a coastal certificate being enough.
Unthinkable!
Just 4 years back the average salaries were 2000 USD. A whopping six-fold rise.
Till very recently the Indian Navy used to be fodder for the domestic shipping. DGS has stopped issuing Certificate of Service (COS) to naval lieutenants since 1986. As a result COS from Navy has dried up and a combination of market forces has driven the salaries up to stratosphere.
A piece written by an OSV Master sailing in South African waters provides an interesting insight of the Offshore market. It was written about 6 months back when oil prices had touched 90 USD per barrel.
Capt. Raj S Chakravorty
Offshore Vessels: - Manpower/Ship handling Skills/Training.
Background:
Crude oil prices are currently ruling at a historic high. With the accelerated GDP growth in BRIC countries viz Brazil, Russia, India & China, the incremental growth in oil consumption is bound to keep them high. The prevailing oil prices may be a matter of concern for the consumers but for the players engaged in oil exploration industry it is a win-win situation as this would lead to greater opportunities. High oil prices force the oil exploration companies to seek greener pastures. The drilling and exploration activities onshore have already reached saturation point in shallow waters. Therefore oil majors have no option but to train their sights in deeper waters and relatively unexplored offshore sector.
1. Manpower:
The only point of grave concern for Indian offshore industry would be inadequate availability of skilled man power, which needs to be addressed urgently. The exposure gained by naval officers by virtue of handling twin screw vessels whilst in service, made them ideal candidates for joining the offshore industry. The majority of deck officers in OSVs are ex navy. The reduced inflow of ex naval officers in the offshore industry has already caused problems in man-power costs. Let us examine the current scenario for Great Eastern Shipping on the basis of SWOT analysis. This article is primarily restricted to availability of manpower in offshore sector.
a. Strength:
Gesco is an existing player in offshore sector. Rated by personnel as number one amongst the domestic companies. Continues to be first choice of seafarers aspiring to switch over to the offshore sector. The current expansion and deployment of offshore vessels is leading to widespread exposure and quicker promotions for the fleet personnel. The company should continue to attract fresh talent. The problem area will be retention of the experienced floating staff.
b. Weaknesses:
i. Certification system: The existing certification system is skewed towards main fleet in terms of counting of sea time for competency exams. Bright & talented youngsters would rather opt for main fleet. The offshore sector would have to depend upon coastal certification (NCV) for meeting its manpower requirement. The NCV certification is not likely to generate desired quality officers. The primary source of input for offshore sector is middle aged seafarers looking for a second career.
ii. Reduced inflow of retired naval officers: Section 80 of merchant shipping act 1958 was repealed in 1986. The youngest officer today in possession of COS is 45 years old. A number of officers opt for premature retirement when they become eligible for pension. In the present scenario officers leaving service are without COS and cannot join shipping without a lengthy certification process. DG Shipping has recently issued MS notice no 08/2006 which facilitates the conversion of naval officers to Certificate of competency (NCV/FG limited to 3000 GRT). The service onboard OSV would be counted 2/3. For becoming an NCV Master he will require 18 months sea service as NCV mate, which translates to 27 months of actual sea service. Considering the 2 months on/off policy, the average time required for converting from NCV mate to master would be about 6 years, which is a very long period and will further aggravate shortage of masters in the offshore industry.
iii. Non standardisation of Pay scales: The emoluments of the contractual floating staff are fixed on adhoc basis & no parity is maintained vis-à-vis seniority and experience. It is recommended that the emoluments rather than being fixed on individual basis be linked with the grades.
iv. Long term stake: The majority of floating staff is employed on contractual basis and hence it is very difficult to foster a long term relationship. Presently the stakes for the contractual floating staff are minimal. Measures such as introduction of provident fund for contractual staff can be explored or even employees stock option can be considered.
v. Introduction of Dynamic Positioning: Consequent to introduction of dynamic positioning, there would be lesser incentive to learn ship handling skills. So far the remuneration onboard the DP vessels have been better than OSV and since no manual handling is involved the stress is also lower. The majority of new seafarers joining the offshore sector are only looking for a career in DP vessels.
c. Opportunity:
i. Shorter tenure: There is general preference amongst seafarers to go for shorter sea tenures. The offshore industry offers shorter tenure and hence it would continue to attract officers from the main fleet.
ii. Availability of ex naval officers: A large number of naval officers retire every year from active service and hence are available for the offshore industry. With the removal of COS, there is bound to be reduction of inflow of naval officers. The offshore industry must do some hard selling by interacting with the navy.
iii. Take the case of the booming civil aviation industry; it is more than happy to absorb ex pilots from armed forces. Then why the same is not happening in the booming offshore industry? It is pertinent to mention that for joining civil aviation similar exams are conducted by DGCA. The major difference is in the passing percentage, which is higher for an aviator compared to naval officers. Logically obtaining civil pilot license should be more difficult.
d. Threat:
i. Opportunities ashore: With the rapid growth in GDP, the number of openings ashore have increased. Till recently it was difficult for a seafarer to get absorbed in well paying shore jobs but the scenario has changed. There are numerous instances where chief officers/masters have quit offshore industry within a relatively short period of time for taking up shore assignments.
ii. Rampant poaching: In view of unprecedented boom in offshore sector the shortage of skilled seafarers is likely to get further aggravated .The shortages will lead to rampant poaching. If the manpower situation is considered bad today, tomorrow it can only become worse.
II. Ship handling skills:
Acquiring ship handling skills require aptitude, patience, interest & boldness on part of the students desirous of becoming ship handlers. Handling of OSV is some what similar to driving a car and there is no mystique or greatness involved in becoming a good handler. When an average person can acquire driving skills and negotiate the torturous traffic of cities then why the same can not be replicated in OSV. Knowledge of seamanship and understanding the effect of tide and current on vessel is more than enough for acquiring basic ship handling skills. The art of ship handling has been made to appear extremely complicated by seafarers, who are jealously guarding their turf and perceive that they have acquired great skills which are difficult for ordinary mortals to comprehend.
The most important key to imparting ship handling skills is the willingness & attitude of the master to impart practical training to his subordinates. Although the PSV is not an ideal platform for learning ship handling skill, one of the greatest advantages of working on PSV is that it removes the fear of handling. The candidates who posses requisite aptitude should be identified early and posted on PSV for obtaining accelerated exposure to offshore vessels.
One of the prerequisite for a future master should be to have requisite confidence in handling conventional vessels. Not withstanding introduction of DP system onboard , the future masters should be advised to continually practice ship handling skills when ever possible . There are various types of rigs & platforms in Bombay high and hence one is able to get widespread exposure. Bombay high continues to remain by far the best learning ground. It would be an added advantage if some how more company vessels can operate in Bombay high rather than in isolated and small oil fields.
III. Training:
The training should comprise of theory as well as practical training on simulator. The detailed syllabi and content can be worked out at later stage.
1. Theory: All deck officers joining offshore industry for the first time should be made to undergo one day capsule course on under mentioned subjects. The training can be conjoined with the induction programme.
1.Ship handling principles. Topics from Danton seamanship.
2.Berthing/unberthing from Jetty.
3.OSV and its functioning.
4.Rigs/Platforms.
2. Practical: The practical training on simulators can be imparted prior to commencement of second tenure. Various anchor handling simulators are available in the market. Based on inputs from various sources, Naval Maritime Academy (NAMAC) has already prepared guidelines for anchor handling simulator. NAMAC has already installed ship handling simulator and adding anchor handling simulator should not be much of problem. Various types of simulator training which could be undertaken are as given below.
3. Basic: The module could be of one day duration. The basic ship handling only needs to be simulated. Various injections of current and wind can be given. The candidates can practice positioning of the vessel with in a circle of limited radius.
4. Advanced: The module could be of two days duration. The exercise would involve the real life situation where in direction of tidal flow has to be ascertained. Conditions similar to the Bombay high field can be simulated. In addition towing/anchor handling exercise can also be carried out.
IV. Conclusion:
1. Bridging the demand/supply gap: It is a sad paradox that in country like India which boasts of ample man power should be facing difficulties in meeting demand for its own offshore sector. Brushing the problem under the carpet by saying quality man power is not available would be akin to ostrich like attitude. The tremendous growth of the service sector in India has only been possible due to resilience and capabilities of our man power .The developed countries due to their ageing population are increasingly looking to India for sourcing their man power requirement. A major source like ex naval officers should be aggressively tapped by the industry. The methodology for conversion of certificate of service from STCW convention 78 to 95 and the resultant court cases has vitiated the atmosphere. As for as meeting the requirements of the offshore industry are concerned both the parties DG Shipping & Navy appear to be sitting on the opposite fence. The good part is that the gap of late has narrowed down. The basic problem how ever still remains the prevailing mindset of the facilitator, which works more efficiently in denial mode rather than meeting the requirements of Industry. With the discontinuation of certificate of service it is no longer possible for naval officers to effortlessly switch over to merchant navy. Earlier the effort was individual based in case of ex naval officers, who were seeking alternative career in merchant navy. With the rapid changing of rules and stringent requirements of sea service etc, it needs much more of an organizational effort on part of Navy by way of conducting courses & coaching classes in accordance with MS notice 08/2006.
2. Conduct of simulator training: NAMAC was way ahead of others in foreseeing the potential of offshore industry & has done pioneering work in planning & designing training for offshore industry. Not many people are aware of the fact that DG Shipping had entrusted NAMAC with the task of preparing modular courses for offshore industry based on OPITO standards. The company can tie up with NAMAC for conduct of simulator courses.
Capt. Ravinder Singh
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